English Reference

Word

eulogy

Phoneticseu·lo·gy

US/ˈjuɫədʒi/

UK/jˈuːlədʒi/

Definitions

01funeral speech

C1

n. a speech given at a funeral to honor and remember the person who died.

n. a formal oration delivered at a funeral or memorial service to honor the life and character of the deceased.

“His brother delivered a moving eulogy that made everyone at the funeral smile through their tears.”

“The former president delivered a powerful eulogy, highlighting the senator's lifelong commitment to civil rights and public service.”

Formal

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'deliver', 'give', or 'write'.

Synonyms

02high praise

C2

n. a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something very strongly.

n. a speech or writing in high praise of a person or thing; a commendation or laudation.

“The book is a long eulogy to the beauty of the Italian countryside.”

“The CEO's retirement dinner featured a series of eulogies from colleagues who praised her visionary leadership over the last decade.”

Formal · Literary

Usage

Often takes the preposition 'to' when referring to an abstract concept or place.

Synonyms

praiseacclaimpanegyric

Real-World Examples

“As Jon Batiste put it in a eulogy on Wednesday, Wilson sounded like the south.”
The Guardian · 2 Sept 2026
“Based on real events, this new US musical is designed as a loving but warts-and-all eulogy.”
The Guardian · 14 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English wloge (“commendation of the virtues of a deceased person”), from Latin eulogium, apparently from a confusion between ēlogium (whence English elogium, elogy) and eulogia (from Ancient Greek εὐλογία (eulogía, “praise”), whence English eulogia); equivalent to eu- + logia ("good words"). Doublet of eulogium.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference